Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire - Local Enterprise Partnership Area

The Provider is expected to deliver the Provision across the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP area.

The LEP encompasses the local authority areas of; • Staffordshire Moorlands • Stoke-on-Trent • Stafford • South Staffordshire • Cannock Chase • Newcastle Under Lyme • East Staffordshire • Lichfield, and; • Tamworth.

As a minimum the Provider must deliver from premises in; • Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent – to cover the City of Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire; • Cannock Chase, and; • Stafford.

Bidders may submit alternative locations to those listed above and they will be given due consideration.

Service delivery under this contract is expected to commence in October 2016 and continue until September 2019.

There will be a further 64 week payment tail.

The contract value is £7,182,000 and there is a requirement for a minimum of 3800 Participants to start on this provision.

The Provision will be a personalised and individually tailored package of support that will be delivered by designated Caseworkers.

The aims of the Provision are to; • Complement and add value to existing Provision; • Enhance engagement with the priority groups; • Support those that are not fully assisted by existing employment programmes; • Improve employability skills and work readiness activities; • Enhance access to jobs; • Tackle entrenched worklessness, and; • Achieve sustained employment outcomes for disadvantaged people that face multiple barriers to work.

The Provider must meet ESF specific requirements set by the European Commission and failure to comply can result in a high financial risk for both the Provider and DWP, as funds used inappropriately or for ineligible Participants or purposes and/or where the ESF requirements have not been met are recoverable from Providers.

The Provider will use the Provider Referral and Payment (PRaP) system to receive their referrals and to record claimant activity.

The Provider will therefore need to have met relevant security requirements when contracts go live.

This contract will be for the use of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), its Executive Agencies and those Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) sponsored by DWP.

Further information including a list of such Agencies and Public Bodies can be viewed by selecting ‘Ministerial Departments’ on the Departmental website.